The Dragon's Fairy
by Silenthowlingwolf
Summary: One year after the Grand Magic Games, an old friend re-appears in Magnolia, having come back from a 13 year absence. Everything has changed in those years she's been gone, including her. Will her old friend Laxus be able to recognize her? And if he does, can he finally come to terms with 13 years of pent up feelings? LaxusOC, feel free to review, rated M to be safe
1. Chapter 1

**Authors note: Hey, this is my first time writing a Fairy Tail Fan fic, so if any of the characters are extremely OOC, please tell me and I'll try to fix it. Reviews would be appreciated, other than that have fun and I hope you enjoy. Also, I own nothing except Gaia**

Gaia took a deep breath as she stepped off of the train, taking in all the familiar scents of the town of Magnolia. Hints of cinnamon from her favorite bakery wafted to her on the light breeze combining with the smell of hot steel from the tracks. To some it might be an odd combination but to her it just smelled like home, a warm and comfortable place where she felt welcome. Flicking her copper mane over her shoulder, she shifted her pack on her shoulder and started walking. She didn't need to see where she was going; her feet knew the way without her having to think. When she had met Gildarts a few weeks ago while on her way back, he had informed her of the move to a different location due to foreclosure, but even then she knew the way. As she walked, she could hear the whispers of the people she passed. Most of them were negative, derogatory comments on Fairy Tail but she just brushed them aside. It had never been in her nature to fight without cause like one particular fire dragon slayer she knew.

"Gaia?" The petite woman stopped and turned towards the voice of her longtime friend. She smiled at the white-haired woman.

"Hey Mirajane, it's been a while hasn't it?" the white-haired woman's blue eyes widened as she set down the fruit she was looking at and slowly approached the nature mage as if she would disappear. As she neared, Mirajane tentatively put her hand out and touched the shorter woman's lustrous light copper hair. Gaia laughed, stretching up to pat the other woman's white hair. Instantly, Mirajane's eyes filled with tears and she gathered the smaller mage into her arms. Bright amber eyes blinked in confusion before she pulled away to look at the other mage.

"Are you okay Mira?" the woman cupped her cheek.

"We thought you had died. You stopped sending letters; we hadn't heard a word from you." Gaia blinked in confusion before annoyance crossed over her fairy like features.

"I had told Gildarts to tell everyone I was okay but it seems like that idiotic mage let it slip his mind again," Mirajane laughed, all traces of her tears gone except the shimmer in her eyes.

"That seems like something he would do. So are you headed back to the guild?" Gaia nodded, sending some strands of her wavy copper mass sliding out of the ponytail she'd placed it in.

"Yeah, I just finished that quest. It took a lot longer than I had suspected it would." The nature mage laughed, rubbing the back of her neck. Mira blinked at her.

"Do you mean the 20 year quest that you took? You already finished it?" Gaia nodded, smiling.

"Of course, I was aiming for ten but I had to take a break to replenish my magic," Mira shook her head and laughed before going back to pay for her food and rejoining the young mage.

"So how long are you staying this time?" Gaia shrugged, shifting the large pack over to her other shoulder.

"A while; I really want to stay for a few years and find a house. I left when I was too young to own one and with the reward from this mission, I'll be set for a couple of years at least. It's hard to imagine that it's been fourteen years huh." Mira laughed, nodding.

"I almost didn't recognize you, you've really grown up Gaia-chan," the nature mage laughed nervously.

"Yeah, you have no idea how long it took for me to actually fill out, I thought I was going look like a boy forever." Mira laughed, hugging the small woman as they walked, causing her to trip a little.

"You could never look like a boy Gaia, you're too cute," the mage laughed, catching herself before she fell and made a scene.

"Well according to Laxus I look like a scrawny little boy instead of a girl." Gaia tried not to wince as she repeated the last words he'd ever spoken to her. Even after fourteen years, it still stung. Mira laughed.

"You know Laxus, he was probably just mad that you could go on a 20 year mission and he couldn't. You were both little then," Gaia shrugged, suddenly nervous to see everyone again as they exited the town and headed up the trail to their new guild hall. She grew quiet, sinking into herself. Would they remember her? Would they be happy to see her after all of this time? She stopped as Mira went to the door of the hall. Noticing her hesitation, she turned to her friend.

"It'll be okay Gaia; everyone will love having you back." Gaia laughed to herself. Probably not everyone. Laxus had never been thrilled having her around and she doubted that any of that had changed. Taking a deep breath, she steeled her resolve before walking up to the doors and swinging them open. An eerie hush fell over the normally boisterous guild and Gaia felt the strongest urge to run as they all cast somewhat skeptical glances her way. Her instincts were foiled as Mirajane stepped in behind her and wrapped the mage in a surprisingly strong hug.

"Everyone, Gaia's back!" there was a long pause as the members observed her before she was attacked with yells and hugs, the most painful coming from a now giant Elfman who was saying something she couldn't understand because of his weeping. She felt her worries seeping away as all of her old friends greeted her with hugs and yells.

"Gaia!" The nature mage jerked, trying to find an escape before she was engulfed in yet another pair of arms and lifted into the air, "It's been a while kiddo!"

Gaia could feel her irritation rise and she quickly wiggled out of the behemoths grasp before hitting the mage in the head. A silence rushed over the guild as a dark aura appeared from the fairy like woman in front of them and she glared down at Gildarts.

"I saw you the other month, you perverted old man. Plus did you forget that you were supposed to tell everyone that I was okay?" the older man laughed nervously, rubbing the bump that she had caused in her fit of anger.

"Yeah, sorry about that; must have slipped my mind." A vein pulsed in her forehead but she shook her head, clearing away the anger, leaving only a mild annoyance. He was ancient after all, so how could she really get mad at him for forgetting her messages.

"Old geezer," she mumbled, her cheeks coloring as mortification washed over her. She never got violent. It was one of the notable things about her. He stood and ruffled her hair, smiling. She snorted, swatting at the hand playfully before looking around at all the smiling faces of her guild mates, her only nakama. A loud yell broke her reverie and she turned to the sound, smiling as she saw a head of salmon pink hair. She chuckled, shaking her head. That boy was always getting excited over the smallest things. She smiled. It was to know some things never changed. She went over to the bar with Mira, a small group of the older members following behind her and bombarding her with question. Where had she been? Had she had fun? Did she bring anything back for them? She answered them on auto pilot, discreetly scanning the room for the one person that she both hopped and dreaded to see. Would he remember her? Would he even recognize her?

"He's not here right now," Gaia jumped and turned a guilty eye towards Mira who was smiling back at her as she cleaned a cup. Gaia blushed a bright red and Erza laughed as she took the seat next to her.

"Some things never change do they Mira? Even after all of this time she still has a crush on Laxus." Gaia felt her face heat up even more if that was possible and she squeezed her eyes shut.

"N-No I don't." Erza and Mirajane exchanged knowing looks over the woman's head, "He's so annoying and infuriating. I don't know how anyone could like that jerk." She pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest even as Mira chuckled.

"That was a younger Laxus, he's changed since then Gaia, and it has been fourteen years since you two last saw each other." Gaia refused to let the hope that he'd changed well up in her chest. In all the years she'd known him, he had always been mean to her; pulling her pig tails, taking her toys, calling her all sorts of names; never had he ever once said something nice to her. She sighed, pulling her hair away from her nape to let the area cool.

"I find that doubtful Mira," she mumbled before standing from the stool and stretching her back and picking her bag up from the floor.

"Well, I'd better go look for that apartment now. Don't know how long it'll take me to find one I like," Slinging her pack over her shoulder, she waved good-bye to Mira and Erza before heading towards the door.

"Good luck!" Gaia smiled over her shoulder and walked out of the door…and straight into what felt like a brick wall. She bounced back before landing on her rear. She groaned as her fall jostled her injured side before looking up at the thing she had bumped off of, an apology forming on her lips before shock coursed through her as she noted the thick mass of blonde spikes on the man's head. The behemoth before her glanced down at her, revealing a familiar set of orange eyes. Her mouth dropped open. This giant of a man…..was Laxus?!


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note: So here's chapter 2, it took a little longer than I'd hoped, but I hope that every one enjoys it. I'll try to have up the next chapter by next week so if you have any recommendation or ideas, feel free to send me a message. Other wise, enjoy.**

"So he still doesn't recognize you?" Erza's question distracted the small woman, causing her to lose her concentration and slam her hammer into the tip of her finger instead of the end of the nail. Instantly, pain shot down her arm and she yelped, sticking the injured appendage in her mouth before shooting the scarlet haired woman a glare. Instead of looking contrite, she simply starred back at Gaia. Sighing, she removed her finger from her mouth and got off of the ladder to retrieve her hammer.

"No, but he's always been kind of dense, I think it's a dragon slayer thing because Natsu hasn't recognized me either," Mirajane giggled, handing a small ice pack to Gaia, who gave her a grateful smile before placing it on the injured finger, which was starting to turn an ugly shade of purple.

"I thought for sure he would have recognized you when he knocked you down," Gaia laughed nervously, shrugging.

"Well, it has been a long time, I'm sure I look very different from when I was 10," Gaia smiled, trying to show that it didn't hurt, but at Mirajane and Erza's expression she knew that she hadn't succeeded. She smiled at the two before looking up at the roof of the small cabin, hoping that they would drop the subject.

"It looks a lot better now doesn't it?" the two women gave her a look that said the conversation wasn't over before looking up at their work.

"I still can't believe that you bought all of this land just for one run down cabin." Gaia chuckled, taking the ice off of her finger and wrapping it up.

"I'm a nature mage, Erza, I love being by surrounded nature. Plus this was the only place available for a reasonable price, when they saw that I was in Fairy Tail, the rent went up." Gaia could see the rage build in her friend's expressions and before they could get too angry, she smiled.

"I guess that just means I was meant to buy this place, huh?" Mirajane laughed, patting her friends head while Erza huffed. Gaia clapped her hands together, smiling as the red-head jerked.

"Okay, now let's see if that roof is actually leak proof now," Mirajane smiled before nodding and walking into the small house, pulling a grumpy Erza behind her. When they were both inside, Gaia closed her eyes and took a deep breath before focusing her magic around the house. Dark clouds gathered above them before it started to pour down on the cabin. She let it rain for a few minutes before dispelling the magic and letting the rain clear up. Gaia took a deep breath to get rid of the effects of using the unfamiliar magic as Mirajane and Erza exited the house. The white-haired woman smiled, holding up a thumb and Erza nodded.

"Not a leak in sight." Gaia smiled in relief. She didn't want to spend another night running around the house emptying rain buckets. After such a long time away from home, and a decent bed, all she really wanted to do was sleep, which brought her to another point. She still didn't have a proper bed. The one that had come with the cabin was flat and dusty, with a disgusting smell emanating from it and a small family of mice living in one corner. That was the first thing to go, after she moved the mice into another home of course. She straightened, taking a deep breath of the clean, crisp air.

"Fantastic, now all that's left is to get a bed," Erza perked up at the mention of shopping, something that Gaia had learned that she actually enjoyed during the month she'd been back. They had already gone shopping for all other kinds of furniture like a couch and dressers, but they hadn't yet bought a bed to match.

"Well, we don't know how long that will take, so let's go," Gaia chuckled as Erza grabbed her arm and started to pull her down the long walk that led to town before a small cough behind them made Erza freeze and turn slowly.

"Don't you think we should all change first, Erza?" Erza huffed, letting go of the shorter woman's arm.

"Fine, change quickly," Gaia smiled at her friend before darting into her house with Mirajane so that the two could change while Erza merely re-equipped clean clothes. Mirajane changed back into her normal dress and Gaia huffed, just staring into her closet at the multitude of flowy, girly dresses that Erza and Mirajane had bullied her into buying.

"Why not try this one?" Gaia looked over at Mirajane who was pulling out a pale green handkerchief dress. She stared at the dress for a moment before shrugging and taking it from Mira's hand. She tugged the dress over her head before looking into the full length mirror hanging from her door. She quickly pulled her mass of wavy copper hair into a ponytail with pieces framing her face before nodding and slipping on a pair of low strappy heels. She turned and put her arms out for Mirajane, who cooed and smiled.

"You look so pretty! Okay let's go, I think we've made Erza wait long enough," Gaia laughed and grabbed her messenger bag before following after the white-haired take over mage out of the door. Erza looked up at them before nodding and grabbing their wrists and dragging the two of them towards town. Gaia laughed at her friend's eager attitude even as she struggled to keep up in her heels. After making it into town in record time, Gaia collapsed into a nearby bench with Mirajane as they tried to catch their breath. Erza frowned down at them.

"I thought you were supposed to be an S-class mage Gaia?" Gaia stuck her tongue out at the mage who scoffed.

"All I need is a minute Erza, and then I'll be okay." Mirajane laughed as Gaia took a deep breath and rolled her ankle to ease the stiffness from when she broke it a few years ago. She relaxed for a few seconds before smiling as she heard the tapping of a shoe. Sighing, she cracked her eyes to raise an eyebrow at her impatient friend.

"Okay, Erza, I'm done," Immediately, the tapping stopped as Gaia stood followed by Mirajane, who brushed off her dress. Before either of them was truly ready to go, Erza was off, walking quickly towards the only furniture shop in the town that sold beds. Gaia and Mira traded amused looks before quickly following after their friend.

By time they found a bed that Erza approved of, the sun was beginning to set, casting the entire town of magnolia in a golden rosy glow. Gaia sighed, stretching her arms over her head as she took a deep breath. The scent of cinnamon tickled her senses as she bid goodbye to her friends and began the long walk back home. Again, cinnamon wafted past her on the breeze and she groaned, changing her direction and walking towards the small bakery. What will one little slice of tiramisu matter? Gaia ducked into the small shop and smiled at the elderly woman behind the counter.

"You're out a little late, dear. What can I get you?" Gaia took a deep breath, taking in the scents of coffee, bread and the ever-present cinnamon.

"Do you still make tiramisu?" The woman smiled, nodding.

"We just took a batch out of the oven, would you like a piece?" Gaia nodded, smiling as she pulled out her wallet while the woman prepared a small box of the dessert. Gaia traded the jewels for the box and bid the woman goodbye before slipping it into her messenger bag and exiting the shop.

"I told you we should have gone with my plan, then we wouldn't have been surrounded like that. I'm still trying to get the goop out of my hair," Gaia frowned at the odd comment before looking up and spotting the owner. It was the woman named Evergreen who was glaring at the green haired mage named Freed while their team-mate, a tall man named Bickslow, walked behind them with Laxus following a short distance behind them.

"And I'm telling you that seducing the guards would not have worked," Gaia couldn't smother the laugh that bubbled up at their conversation. The group stopped walking and Evergreen turned to glare at her.

"Is something funny?" Gaia held up her hands in a defensive gesture.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh," Evergreen glared at her but cracked a smile as Gaia let out an undignified squeak as she was lifted into the air.

"Long time, no see shrimp," Gaia frowned a Bickslow, even as her cheeks colored into a brilliant blush as his 'babies' chanted the word "Shrimp" behind him. She'd always hated it when people picked her up. It made her feel weak, something that was strange for an S-class mage.

"Put me down Bickslow," The tall man smiled at her before slinging her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She growled before realizing what she'd done and taking a deep breath. Even though she and Bickslow had become fast friends since she'd arrived back in town, sometimes she wanted to smack him and his babies silly. She looked up at a snort and into the orange eyes of Laxus. He stared at her for a minute before looking away as Bickslow set her on her feet and smiled down at her.

"Were you headed back to the Guild hall?" Gaia laughed and shook her head, causing her ponytail to tickle her back as it swayed.

"No, I just spent the entire day with Erza and Mirajane looking for a bed, I was heading home but I wanted to swing by the bakery. I haven't had their tiramisu in years, but they've always made the best," Gaia patted her bag where the small box was before looking up at the ever darkening sky. "But I really should get home before it gets too dark, so I'll see you tomorrow." Bickslow ruffled her hair and she swatted it away before smiling at him and spinning around to walk towards her home.

"Wait." Gaia paused at the deep voice that she had waited so long to hear. Steeling her nerves, she turned towards him with a smile.

"Yes?" He stared at her for what seemed like an hour but was probably only a few seconds before taking a step forward.

"That scar on your back. How did you get it?" Gaia frowned, touching her shoulder where she knew the scar rested. It was actually very beautiful, one long scar that wove down her back with smaller one branching off in a pattern that looked like vines weaving across her skin. She smiled at him, hoping that maybe this would get him to remember her.

"When I was four," she took a breath and looked him in the eye, "I was struck by lightning."


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note: back in action! Sorry about not updating for a while. I've been a little busy with registering for classes and trying to find a job. I'll try my best to update more frequently than I have been. Please review and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

Gaia took a deep breath and tried to stamp down her irritation as she buried her nose deeper into her book. Even then, she could feel the holes being drilled into her from all directions. After a few minutes, her temper had reached its boiling point and she sighed, setting down her book to level an irritated look on the two dragon slayers that had taken up staring at her. The younger of the two smiled at her while the other just scowled.

"Is there something you wanted, or did you just intend to stare at me until I burst into flame?" Natsu beamed at her.

"You just look so different Gaia-chan, it's hard to believe it's really you," Gaia chuckled as his partner, a blonde woman who Gaia had come to know as Lucy, sighed and shook her head.

"Of course she looks different; it's been a while since you last saw her," Natsu huffed, crossing his arms. Lucy shook her head and chuckled before pausing and turning to look at Gaia curiously.

"How old are you anyway, Gaia-chan? I've never heard anyone talk about it." Gaia smiled, placing a book mark in her book before closing it where it lay on the table. She wasn't going to be getting back to it anytime soon.

"I'm 24." Lucy frowned, counting on her fingers before gaping at the young mage.

"You're our age?" Gaia frowned, looking up and tapping her finger on her chin. She'd never really thought about that before.

"If you think about it yeah, technically I am, or would be if you hadn't been frozen for 7 years," Gaia looked back at Lucy and jerked back as the girl stared at her with large eyes.

"You must really be strong then if you were an S-class way before I even joined Fairy Tail, that's so cool," Gaia felt her face flood with heat as she blushed. She quickly ducked her head, letting her fringe fall over her face to shield it and fidgeted in her seat. She heard Natsu laugh before he reached over and thumped her in the back, causing her to wince. Dang, he'd gotten strong.

"Praise always did make Gaia-chan uncomfortable; I guess it was from having to live with this moron." The nature mage could practically feel the heat from the glare that Laxus shot him. Again, Lucy turned to her with wide eyes.

"You grew up with Laxus?" Gaia smiled nervously, hoping that she wouldn't have to respond to that. It had always been a touchy subject.

"Hey shrimp, can you come over here?"

"Over here, over here, over here!" Gaia jumped up at Bickslow's call and grabbed her book, saying a silent prayer of thanks.

"I've gotta go," she quickly slid off the bench and jogged over to where the Raijinshuu were standing in front of the request board. They turned to look at her, Bickslow smiling as he swooped down to pick her up and perch her on his arm. She frowned at him, even though it was coming to be a common occurrence with the tall man.

"I am not a doll Bickslow-kun; you can't pick me up all the time." He just grinned at her like he always did.

"You're a good forest tracker right?" Gaia looked down at Evergreen, who was glaring at her from behind her glasses. She had no idea why but the woman didn't seem to like her even though she had done nothing to her. As the woman's words hit her she frowned.

"Uh, yeah. Why?" Freed held a slip of paper up to her. Curious, she took it, looking at the picture of an almost comical looking man with a large nose, small eyes and a large, unkempt beard.

"He is an infamous robber and poacher who has proven almost impossible to capture. We would like your help in bringing him to justice." Gaia sighed, handing the job slip back to Freed, who took it with a frown.

"I would love to help you, really I would, but I don't think Laxus-kun would appreciate having me along." Bickslow bounced her on his arm, causing her to look at him.

"You let us worry about Laxus, you need to get out of that little house," Bickslow grinned as his babies chanted behind him. Gaia sighed before nodding.

"But I have one condition if you want me to travel with you." They all glanced nervously at one another before nodding. She smiled.

"No sleeping on the ground. I did that enough while I was away and I don't want to ever do that again," Bickslow gaped at her.

"That's it, just no sleeping outside? I thought nature mage's loved sleeping outside." "Outside, outside, outside," Gaia chuckled.

"I've been caught in the rain one to many times to actually enjoy it anymore. It's no fun waking up to an achy back and sopping wet clothes." Freed chuckled.

"Good, meet us at the train station tomorrow at 8, it will take us a little while to reach our destination, even by train," Gaia smiled.

"Is that because of Laxus' motion.." Bickslow slapped his hand over her mouth and shushed her. She frowned at him.

"I thought that was dragon slayer common knowledge, there's really nothing to be ashamed about," she felt the heat of a glare on her back and mentally cursed the man's supersonic hearing. They all turned around to look at him and flinched at his evil black aura. Gaia coughed nervously before wiggling out of Bickslow's grasp and dropping to the floor. She straightened, brushing off non-existent dust from her dress before facing them and flashing her most angelic smile.

"Well, I'm off, I'll see you all tomorrow," she walked quickly to the door of the guild and pulled open the door.

"You coward!" At Bickslow's yell, she turned around and waved at him before quickly retreating out of the guild. She closed the door to the guild and sighed, shaking her head at herself. What in the world had she been thinking, accepting that job with the Raijinshuu? Obviously, she hadn't been thinking or she would have run as fast as she could to her house and shut herself in for a few days.

"Gaia? Are you going in?" The small woman jerked at her friend's voice and laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head.

"Uh, no. I was actually going back home to get ready to leave tomorrow. I kind of agreed to go on a job with the Raijinshuu." Erza's eyes widened and sparkled in a way that screamed at Gaia to run. Before she could, the taller, scarlet haired woman grabbed both of her hands in her own and stared at her with those large, sparkly eyes that foretold her doom.

"You'll be spending all of that time with Laxus, right?" Yep, there was the doom.

"Umm well, yeah, he's coming with us, but it's not like we'll be spending that time alone." Gaia sighed as she saw the glint in her friends eyes that said she wasn't listening to a thing the nature mage said.

"Come on, I'll help you pack." Gaia thought of the sheer amount that Erza always packed and she paled. Yep, she was doomed. Before she could protest, Erza began walking quickly towards her home, not stopping or slowing till they reached the small cottage and Gaia was planted firmly on her bed while Erza rummaged through her new clothes, occasionally stopping to throw an article of clothing on the bed before diving back in. When in the world had she collected so many clothes? By the time the sun had set, there was a huge pile of clothes taking up her bed and Mirajane had joined them, only adding to the disaster area that used to be her immaculate room.

"Oh, you should totally bring this!" Gaia pivoted to where Mira was sitting by her dresser and paled.

"When did I get that?" the white-haired woman shrugged, folding up the silky night-gown and placing it in her bag.

"I don't know, but you're bringing it. Don't you want to look nice?" Gaia groaned, slamming her head against the soft but covered surface of her bed.

"I'm going on a job Mira, not a date, which I'm beginning to think you two are packing for." They both just grinned at her and she let her head drop again. This was going to be a very, VERY, long night.


End file.
